Mate Claimed

She looked so delighted, and also a little scared, that Iona couldn’t help squeezing Cassidy’s hand before she went back to Eric’s room to grab her shoes and head off to her red pickup.

Graham met Eric and Shane as they exited Nell’s house. Graham had brought his tracker Chisholm with him but said that his second-in-command, who’d arrived this morning, would remain in Shiftertown, since Eric’s second-in-command would too. Eric didn’t bother arguing with him.

At least Graham had found out who the missing twenty wolves were—mostly females and cubs, but a few grown males as well. All had disappeared from one bus, and the others on the bus had arrived groggy, as though they’d been drugged.

Somewhere on the long roads between here and Elko, the wolves had been spirited away.

“I don’t guarantee they’re at this compound,” Eric said as they made for their motorcycles. “But something not good is going on in that place.”

“If Kellerman has anything to do with this,” Graham said, “I’ll have his balls for breakfast.”

“Get in line.” Eric started his bike, waited for Jace to mount behind him, and they rode out.

Traffic heading north out of town was sparse, this being a workday. No one bothered a cluster of Harleys heading up the highway. It was cold enough to wear jackets that hid their Collars, Eric’s leather one keeping him warm.

Eric led the way to the county roads that cut through the desert, then to the trail that led to the ridge above the compound. He killed his bike and advised they shift or hike as humans for the next few miles.

Stuart Reid waited for them near the foot of the trail. He’d teleported, disliking riding double on a motorcycle as much as Eric hated teleporting.

“I’ve been up to have a look,” Reid said as they shut down the bikes. “Seems quiet.”

Graham dismounted and thunked his helmet onto the back of his bike. “What did you bring the Fae for, Warden? He creeps me out.”

“Dokk alfar,” Reid said, eyeing him steadily. Reid was no submissive. “Not Fae.”

“Whatever,” Graham growled.

“Learn the difference,” Reid said. “Someday your life might depend on it.”

Graham leaned belligerently to Reid as Graham passed him. “Whatever.”

“Let’s move,” Eric said sternly.

Jace, Shane, Chisholm, two other Felines, and wolves who’d ridden up chose to shift, but Eric walked. He’d shift closer to the compound if he needed to. Graham did the same, walking right behind Eric.

From the top of the ridge, the small compound crouching in the desert looked quiet, as Reid had said it would be. Eric didn’t see the guards this time—no movement at all in the shadows of the buildings.

Though the November air was cool, the sun was high and strong, the blue sky unbroken. Eric could see for miles from up here, but nothing showed beyond the compound but pale sands, creosote, grasses, and blank rock.

“That’s it?” Graham muttered as he hunkered behind a large slab of boulder and stared down at the buildings. “That’s nothing.”

Eric tested the air. He couldn’t scent as well in human form, but he’d honed the sense over years. This time, when a gust of wind turned their direction, he caught the whiff of fear. Pure, stark fear, the stink of it unmistakable.

Graham caught it too. The scent was faint but enough to have Graham halfway to his feet, snarling in rage.

“Wait,” Eric said. “Let the trackers and Reid get closer.”

Graham nodded reluctantly, and motioned for his wolves to go ahead with Eric’s trackers. The animals slunk down the hill, bodies fluid, hardly visible against the shadows. The wildlife went quiet, sensing the predators.

Reid was the only one easily seen darting down the hill. He had the lithe body of a runner, and he was fast. He made it to the fence before the others and then popped out of existence.

“What the f**k?” Graham asked, staring at the spot from which Reid had vanished.

“He can teleport,” Eric said. “He’s useful.”

“Shit.”

The Shifters circled the compound, keeping well out of sight. Shane was the most visible, but he wisely kept to the large boulders clumped to the west of the compound, his grizzled fur blending with the sun-dappled rocks.

Then Reid walked out from between two buildings and to the fence. He looked up the ridge toward Eric and shook his head. A second later, Reid disappeared, then reappeared next to Eric in a rush of air.

“No one there,” Reid said.

Graham bellowed and leapt aside, then he came back, teeth bared, claws out. “Never do that again, Fae. I’ll take your head off.”

Reid gave him a look of contempt. “Whatever.”

“Fucking Fae.”

Reid turned back to Eric. “I teleported in between the buildings, but they’re all locked up. No guards, and I heard nothing from inside anywhere. It looks deserted.”

Eric stared down at the compound for a moment, contemplating. The place was a mystery, but he’d not mistaken that scent of fear.

He quietly unfolded to his feet. “Let’s check it out.”

Graham emitted a wolf growl and started down the hill after Eric. They picked their way along, stones rolling out from under their feet, dust rising in the still air. They met Chisholm and Jace near the gate, both of them waiting, looking grim. They’d scented the fear too.

Graham reached for the large padlock, ready to break it, but Eric stepped in front of him. “Reid.”